Are you ready to celebrate Earth Day, my dear runner friends? Today is the day, and I’ve got five ways you can help honor the day and Mother Earth. Do these ways include our favorite sport? You bet they do!
Run An Earth Day Race
Obviously, the best way to celebrate anything is with a run. The same holds true for Earth Day. On Saturday, I’m taking on the ZOOMA Run Club Earth Day 5k, a virtual affair. This is just one of many virtual and actual events taking place to honor Mother Earth, so be sure to check your local race calendar for options that might work for you!
Go Plogging
Plogging is the fine art of jogging and picking up litter. It combines the Swedish verbs “plocka app” and “jogga” into the perfect term for the act. To plog, all you need to do is carry a small garbage bag and some gloves with you on your next run, jog, walk. When you see trash, stop and pick it up. Dispose of it properly when you get home. Plogging is not done for any kind of speed, but to help maintain green space and your community. Try it! It’s fun!
Use Sustainable Activewear Brands
It can be challenging to find running gear that works for you AND that follows ethical and sustainable guidelines. With that being said, I encourage progress over perfection, and just try to do my best to make good choices. Balega is a brand I love that tries to uphold ethical standards. Packaging is printed on partially recycled board and the production facilities utilize water recycling purification system that recovers up to 50% of wastewater. Check out the new Hidden Contour Recycled Socks that use yarns made from recycled plastic waste, while still maintaining the fit and feel of the Hidden Contour we know and love.
Recycle Your Old Running Shoes
There comes a time in every runner’s life when we must bid farewell to a pair of shoes. The good news is that just because a pair of shoes is no longer useful to us for running, it might be useful to someone else. Our local running store accepts donations of old shoes, and there’s a good chance yours does, too. When I go for a fitting, I try to bring in an old pair to donate.
You can also donate through an organization like Soles4Souls or Terracycle.
Encourage Others To Join The Movement
One person can change the world, but multiple people can do so much more. Spread the word. Set up a plogging event in your running group. Reach out to local race companies and talk to them about going cup-free at water stops. Be the change you want to see in the world, and make that difference!
How do you celebrate Earth Day?
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If we all do our part, we can make a difference by doing small things every day and on earth day.
Oh, I meant to go plogging today but I forgot! Maybe I can do it on my long run Sunday- it’s still “Earth Weekend” right? Thanks for this post- I love those recycled socks!
I will run today. I have a race on Sunday.
I have more shoes to donate and have been buying used shoes lately on Poshmark.
I also always re-use water bottles that I get at races.
Such great ideas! I have so many shoes to recycle.
Erica @ Erica Finds recently posted…Friday Five: 5 Earth Day Tips for Greener Home + Self Care
I have a few that need to get turned in!
I keep saying that I need to recycle my shoes! Thanks for the reminder!
It’s always a good idea!
all great things we could do! I didn’t think about sustainable activewear brands though – but I have to say I do wear my stuff for a lonnnnnngggggg time and don’t buy cheap throwaway stuff ever.
That’s awesome! I’m bad about buying things impulsively 🙁